Field of the Invention
The present invention relates in general to a display and dispensing lottery ticket dispenser designed to be attached in a side-by-side relationship with a similar type dispenser. More particularly, this invention relates to a lottery ticket dispenser that has side engagement members for attaching two dispensers together.
Description of the Prior Art
The use of modular-like structures for displaying and dispensing lottery tickets has long been known in the art. Normally, when a number of such dispensers are located together at a point of sale location, they are arranged in a stacked arrangement with one dispenser being stacked on top of another in a locked relationship as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,399,005 issued to Schafer on Mar. 21, 1995.
The stacking and locking features of the Schafer invention have proven to be highly popular and successful in utilization with modular ticket dispensing structures to form a stacked arrangement, but such invention is not applicable for fastening such dispensers in a side-by-side relationship so that two adjacent stacks of dispensers can be affixed to one another. Accordingly, there has been a need in the industry for the provision of a means for attaching two ticket dispensers together in a side-by-side relationship.
One solution that has been developed for meeting the above attachment need is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 7,717,256 B1 issued to Jensen. The Jensen invention discloses the use of a coupling plate that is located between two adjacent dispensers for serving as a connecting structure for the adjacent dispensers. Although the Jensen invention provides a means for attaching two adjacent dispensers together in a side-by-side relationship, it is preferable for simplicity purposes to eliminate the engagement member disclosed in Jensen. Another type of engagement structure for forming a side-by-side relationship of two lottery ticket dispensers is disclosed in U.S. patent application. Ser. No. 14/345,359 filed in the name of Barrett et al. Disclosed in such application is the use of a lottery ticket dispenser that includes a pair of projecting nodes on one side of the dispenser that are meant to engage slots in the sidewall of an adjacent unit to attach the two dispensing units together in a side-by-side relationship. Although the Barrett et al. structure appears to disclose a means for attaching two adjacent dispensers together there still appears to be a need for an improved structure that provides a reliable and simplified means for serving as a connecting means between two adjacent dispensers.